Table of Contents
Knock Off: The Battle for Imagination Brings Toy Box Rivalries to Life
Bit Bot has announced that it will publish Knock Off: The Battle for Imagination, a new 2D fighting game from Mecanimal built around the chaos of childhood toy battles.
Set to launch in 2027 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC via Steam, Knock Off: The Battle for Imagination takes inspiration from action figures, cartoons and arcade games from the 1980s and 1990s. Its cast is made up of fictional toys with distinct move sets, personalities and playstyles, all brought together in a world that treats the bedroom floor like a full-blown fighting arena.
At the centre of the premise is Johnny, a child whose collection is largely made up of off-brand toys. Things change when Maximus, his first official brand-name action figure, arrives, forcing the rest of the roster to prove that being a knock-off does not mean being second best.
Knock Off Mixes Retro Style With Modern Fighting Systems
Despite its nostalgic presentation, Mecanimal is aiming for a fairly contemporary fighting game foundation. Combat will include air combos, launchers, EX moves and supers, with each character designed around different strengths and matchup considerations. Assist sidekicks will also feature, adding another layer to how individual fighters can be used.
Offline players will have a fully voiced Arcade Mode built around a traditional gauntlet structure in Knock Off: The Battle for Imagination, while online competition will include rollback netcode, ranked systems, customisable matchmaking and tournament play. The developers are pitching the game as something approachable enough for casual players while still offering enough mechanical depth for those who want to dig into its systems.
Retro Toys Are More Than Just a Visual Gimmick
The nostalgia runs deeper than the character designs. Stages will include references and hidden Easter eggs inspired by the era, while an unlockable side-scrolling beat ’em up minigame will lean even further into classic arcade influences.
The soundtrack is also staying on theme. Celldweller and Scandroid musician Klayton is composing the original music, with tracks built around the sounds and energy associated with the 1980s and 1990s.
Post-launch support is already planned as well, with Bit Bot promising additional fighters, guest characters and new stages after release.
Knock Off: The Battle for Imagination Launches in 2027
No specific release date has been announced yet, but the game is already available to wishlist on Steam. For players who grew up turning mismatched action figures into entire imaginary universes, this looks like a fighting game built around a very familiar kind of childhood chaos.
Knock Off: The Battle for Imagination will launch for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC via Steam in 2027.
